The Whole Music Experience

World/Latin Grupo Cha Cha   This is the Life Independent Mixed Latin music bands have caught my attention in recent years, including Seattle’s Picoso (with women horn players) and now, Grupo Cha Cha from Chicago which performs flute-centered Caribbean and Brazilian dance music.   This is the Life opens with Charlie Otwell’s Peruchin which ripples with passion.   Flutist Lise Gilly (band leader) radiates on this track, with tight Afro-Latin percussion, salsa-piano (Darwin Noguera), and the other musicians creating luscious grooves.   Anyone who fancies Latin music will gravitate towards this independent release and why not support independent musicians? The title track recalls Cal Tjader and Havana Flute Summit which falls in neatly into Latin jazz with Victor Garcia soloing on trumpet and Adrian Ruiz on electric piano (organ).   The musicians shift rhythmically three quarters of the way with the flute taking the lead.   On Que Te P...

Maurice Steger Giuseppe Sammartini Sonate (for flute and bass continuo) Harmonia Mundi (2007) I found flautist Maurice Steger’s baroque recording Sonate (for flute and bass continuo) at the library and I’ve been listening to it often during the past 2 days. I also saw Italian baroque composer Giuseppe Sammartini listed on another CD I listened to recently so I wanted to explore his music further. His work is completely new to my ears but I love the composer’s clean, yet complex arrangements. I find Steger’s flute pierces through any chaos in my life and flute/recorder finds a home among the bassoon, harpsichord, organ, lutes, violincello, and harp that takes turns playing the bass continuo. Steger, an accomplished flautist from Switzerland performs diverse music ranging from the baroque period to contemporary times. He performs on traverse flute and various baroque recorders, while leaving a favorable impression for the recorder. I realize that the recorder ...

R. Carlos Nakai & Nawang Khechog Winds of Devotion Sounds True It has been less than a year ago when Tibetan musician and former monk Nawang Khechog suffered injuries from an automobile accident in India. In fact, the musician and two of his family members were on their way to celebrate the Tibetan New Year. The driver of the car and Nawang's niece died in the accident. Nawang suffered a head injury which he miraculously healed. Perhaps that healing reflects on the power of prayer, compassion, and positive thinking. And certainly that former monk experience along with the power of music also proves helpful. Sounds True finally released, Winds of Devotion , a collaboration between the Ute-Navajo flutist R. Carlos Nakai and Nawang Khechog and as you would imagine if you are familiar with these two phenomenal human musicians, that this is a meditative work. American classical cellist David Darling, percussionist Geoffrey Gordon, vocalists Chris White, bassist Wade ...